Plasmid DNA purification has come a long way since Herbert Boyer and Stanley N. Cohen's experiments in the early 1970s. Molecular biology is now dominated by the various ways recombinant DNA and RNA can be manipulated, and purification techniques have evolved to meet this demand. In sharp contrast to the complicated, labor-intensive efforts that were needed in previous decades to extract even a small amount of DNA, there are now numerous easy-to-use DIY kits available that enable researchers to obtain the DNA they need.